wfn.org | Opinions in Lutheran synods divided

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April 18, 1997
Episcopal News Service
Jim Solheim, Director
212-922-5385
ens@ecunet.org

97-1743
Opinions in Lutheran synods divided over ecumenical agreements

       (ENS) Opinions are mixed in individual synods of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) over various ecumenical proposals
facing the church, ELCA bishops learned as they met in Woodland Hills,
California, March 6-11.
       The ELCA Churchwide Assembly meeting in August is scheduled
to vote on entering "full communion" with the Episcopal Church and
with three churches of the Reformed tradition: the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.), Reformed Church in America and United Church of Christ.
The Episcopal Church will vote on the Concordat of Agreement with the
ELCA at its General Convention meeting in July.
       Several bishops at the March meeting said that opinions in their
synods are mixed or not supportive of one or the other of the proposals.
A number of the bishops themselves brought strong concerns about the
Concordat to a joint meeting with the Episcopal House of Bishops in the
Pocono Mountains last November, but for the most part left the shared
gathering much more positively inclined.
       The Saint Paul Area Synod in Minnesota is "deeply divided,"
according to Bishop Mark S. Hanson. He tapped a common theme when
he cited "a visceral response . . . coming out of a piety that is suspicious
of hierarchy." In this case, "intellectual arguments are not helpful,"
Hanson said. "How can we say to people, it is okay to be a member of
the ELCA and not support these agreements?"
       Bishop Paull E. Spring of the Northwestern Pennsylvania Synod
said that he will write a piece for "The Lutheran" magazine opposing "A
Formula of Agreement," which relates to the churches of the Reformed
tradition, while many in his synod support that proposal.

In some areas, clergy most opposed
       In the Upper Midwest it is the clergy of the ELCA who are most
likely to be divided on the proposals and most opposed to the Concordat
with the Episcopal Church, according to Bishop David W. Olson of the
Minneapolis Area Synod.
       Bishop Peter Rogness of the Greater Milwaukee Synod said, "We
are in an awkward situation as the vote approaches because the lines of
debate have never been clear." It does not help to tell people their
visceral arguments are not in keeping with an ecumenical spirit, he said.
       "We are burdened by a process that never opened to the life of
the church," Rogness said. He finds himself "with some reservations
about the Concordat," but unable to voice them without speaking against
the processes of the church. Rogness said that debate has been
handicapped. "We have not been free to be open and vigorous in our
expression" for fear of inflaming the argument, he said.
       Bishop Peter Strommen of the Northeastern Minnesota Synod said
the church has "an enormous stake in the passage of the Concordat,"
making it extremely difficult to oppose it. "One difficulty," he said, "is
that a well-articulated argument against the proposals has never been
published by the church, so there is a sense of a highly managed process
with very high stakes."

Decisions rest on four issues
       Presiding Bishop H. George Anderson said four "matters of
judgment" are important for the church: "First, will the mission work of
this church be advanced or diffused by either proposal? Second, does the
acceptance of the gift of the `historic episcopate' vitiate the Lutheran
understanding of ministry?"
       He continued, "Third, are the differences between us and our
partners of the Reformed tradition over the doctrine of the Lord's Supper
church-dividing? The Formula of Agreement asserts that they are not.
We must decide if this is true," he said. "Fourth, can we accept the
doctrinal position of the United Church of Christ as representative of its
congregations?"
       While people claim that their opinions have not been heard, "both
documents have been changed" based on concerns expressed by the
ELCA, pointed out Bishop Steven L. Ullestad of the Northeastern Iowa
Synod. And Bishop Roy G. Almquist of the Southeastern Pennsylvania
Synod said that he is "visceral" about approving the proposals. Some
congregations, he said, "simply do not want to change. They are
comfortable with who they are and do not really care about the church of
the future."

--Based on a news release from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America.